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Rivalry and Reformation Politics: Reflections on Andrew Battell’s Jaga Materials Printed by Samuel Purchas from 1613 to 1625

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 February 2016

Jared Staller
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Abstract:

This paper reviews Andrew Battell’s primary source material for the Jaga (Imbangala) of Angola as printed by Samuel Purchas from 1613 to 1625 in Purchas, his pilgrimage and Purchas, his Pilgrimes. It argues that Purchas most often altered Battell’s data in response to rivalries and Reformation politics in England rather than on new information from Battell. A broad, comparative reading of Purchas’s materials and statistical analysis of his editorial practices demonstrates that Purchas exerted more effort to counter data based on hearsay in the popular Relation of Pigafetta and Lopes than on carefully recording eyewitness data from Andrew Battell.

Résumé:

Cet article se penche sur les sources utilisées par Andrew Battell pour décrire les Jaga (Imbangala) d’Angola telles qu’elles ont été publiées par Samuel Purchas de 1613 à 1625 dans Purchas, his pilgrimage et Purchas, his Pilgrimes. Cet article suggère que Purchas a plus modifié les sources de Battell en réponse aux rivalités issues des politiques de la Réforme en Angleterre que grâce aux nouvelles informations obtenues par Battell. La lecture étendue et comparative des sources de Purchas ainsi que l’analyse statistique de ses pratiques éditoriales démontrent que Purchas consacrait plus d’efforts à contredire les informations transmises de bouche à oreille dans la célèbre Relation de Pigafetta et Lopes que sur l’enregistrement attentif des informations provenant de témoins oculaires d’Andrew Battell.

Type
Critical Source Analysis of European Travelers’ Sources
Information
History in Africa , Volume 43 , June 2016 , pp. 7 - 28
Copyright
Copyright © African Studies Association 2016 

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